Easy Black Lentil Chili

A few years ago, before Owen was born, Alex and I took a trip to Chicago where we ate many, many delicious things. Surprisingly, despite the pizza, the pasta, and the Mexican food, what stands out the most was a dish of roasted cauliflower and black lentils that I had at Longman & Eagle. I ordered it because we were coming off a lunch that was so rich and heavy, I just couldn’t eat anymore. Cauliflower and lentils sounded at least light, if not delicious.

For 30 years of my life, right up until that meal, I thought I hated lentils. They were just so…drab, I think, is the word I’m looking for. What could possibly be more depressing than a mushy, brown bowl of lentil soup?

But black lentils changed everything. First of all, they were beautiful (they looked like caviar). But more importantly, they were firm and toothsome, with a deep, earthy flavor. I was totally hooked.

We came home from our trip and, evidently, I bought a ton of black lentils. I know this because we are moving next month, and I’m in the process of cleaning out our kitchen cabinets. Last weekend I found three half-used bags of them. (Side note: I guess that makes me a lentil hoarder or something? Weird.)

To use them up I made this simple, hearty, veggie-loaded chili, which turns out to be one of new favorite recipes.

Maybe you have more patience than I do in the kitchen, but here are some things that stop me from making a chili recipe: a mile-long list of ingredients, a large amount of meat that must be cubed and browned in batches, and chilis that I have to toast and grind myself. Sorry. Can’t we all just use chili powder…please? Is that really so terrible?

For this chili, I tried to keep things as simple as possible. I researched a bunch of recipes and I thought many of them had unnecessary ingredients. For example, with all the spice going on, I doubted you would taste the presence of 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano, or vegetable broth as opposed to water. So I streamlined, and then I went back and streamlined again. The one trick I did borrow from the blog Little Broken was to puree a bit of the finished chili and then stir it back into the pot. It gives the chili great texture and really helps to thicken it up.

I always make my chili mild-to-medium spicy, and then I serve it with a bunch of different toppings so that people can customize the heat level to their taste. I usually do chopped jalapeños, pickled banana peppers, store-bought salsa, and whatever assortment of hot sauces I cull from our refrigerator door.

And of course, don’t forget the cheese, avocado, sour cream, and cilantro….

This chili is gluten-free and vegan (before the cheese and sour cream on top, of course). It’s also so delicious it’s sure to convert even the most die-hard Texas beef chili fan.

Easy Black Lentil Chili

2016-01-15 01:34:17

Serves 8

If you can't find black lentils, you can substitute brown lentils. The flavor of this chili improves with time. Make it a few days ahead if possible! It can also be frozen for up to three months.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and stir until the vegetables are coated and the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lentils, tomatoes, and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Transfer 3 cups of the lentils and liquid to a blender and blend until smooth (you can also do this in a bowl with an immersion blender). Stir the pureed lentil mixture back into the pot. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve the chili in bowls and pass the toppings on the side.

Notes

The chili will thicken as it cools, so don't worry if it's a bit soupy when you first take it off the heat.

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Comments

I’m SO excited to try this! I love lentils!!! We have dinner with friends every Tuesday and I’m a vegetarian and one friend is gluten free so I’m always trying to find recipes like this! Thanks for sharing!!

That chili looks SO good! I just bought some regular lentils, but I don’t think they would be as good. I hadn’t even heard of black lentils until this post. I will have to look for some next time I go grocery shopping. Thanks for sharing!

This looks absolutely incredible! I am trying to eat local, in-season foods this winter….it’s challenging up here in Chicago! This recipe is PERFECT – lentils hold up really well in my long-term storage, I froze enough bell peppers from the summer to last me forever, and I have carrots still growing outside! So excited to try it!

I had scribbled on my meal plan that I wanted to make something with lentils one night next week, so this one is going on the list. We love chili, and I never thought to make it with lentils. Great idea.

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Welcome!

Hi! I'm Lucy. Turnip the Oven is my vegetable-focused food blog, but sometimes I'm sidetracked by dessert. My recipes are simple and approachable, and I use fresh, seasonal ingredients. I hope I inspire you to eat more plants…and cookies.